Stable A64 motherboard with these things I need?

[TechnoKid]

Hi this is TechnoKids brother. I'm currently switching out my old P4 setup [RDRAM, so many headaches with it that I've just given up hope] to an A64 setup. I have 5 IDE devices that I'd like to continue to use, DVD, CDRW, and 3 hard drives which I don't raid or anything. I'm looking at getting a 2800+ and a 512MB stick of Corsair Value Select PC-3200. I'm also on a budget and am in no need of overclocking at all. The only thing I'm worried about is the amount of IDE devices I have and seeing most boards only supporting up to 4, and 2 SATA slots, but I'd like to not have to add another IDE card if possible. Does anyone happen to have any recommendations? I'm currently looking at the Chaintech VNF3-250, EPoX EP-8KDA3J, and MSI K8T Neo-FIS2R [Only motherboard I've seen with 3x ATA].

I'm pretty clueless when it comes to motherboards, IDE and SATA, etc., so if I could connect an IDE harddrive to SATA, then all the better. Stability is a key factor since I'm fed up with how unstable my old PC was. I plan on keeping my TB Santa Cruz, ATI Radeon 9500 Pro, DVD drive, CDRW, and my 3 harddrives.. Just need new motherboard, ram, and cpu.

 

[McArra]

I recommend the ASUS K8V SE Deluxe. It's rock stable, gotta love it after my horrible experience with Chaintech ZNF3-150.

 

[osage]

you could try a couple of these, and connect a couple of your IDE drives to the SATA connectors.

My current recommendation for cheap and stable A64 mobo is Asrock K8S8X

 

[Bar81]

The best idea is to simply pick up an ASRock K8S8X and a cheapie 2 device ATA PCI card. Even the motherboards with support for more than two ATA channels use add in PCI controller chips and they will cost you appreciably more in features you don't need thus driving up cost. The ASRock solution gets you out under $100 with the ATA card. It's also the most stable A64 solution out there, the fastest A64 solution out there, and it works right out the box with no messing around necessary as well as being available at a great price point. Or you could spend more money for no apparent reason and pick up the Gigabyte K8NS Pro with has four ATA channels (2+2) but the board like most out there, has issues.

 

[TechnoKid]

Where would I find an ASRock motherboard? I checked newegg and mwave and they don't seem to have them..

 

[Bar81]

Newegg doesn't carry them anymore?!? Let me poke around and see what I can find

 

[Bar81]

This is all I could find:
http://www.axiontech.com/prdt.php?src=PW&item=61950

Strange. I know Newegg takes things off its site when they're out of stock sometimes? Might want to call them on Tuesday and see what's going on. That's where I got mine.

 

[Bar81]

If you can't find it lmk as I might be selling mine this coming week.

 

[zodder]

You can't go wrong with the MSI board, either. It has a ton a features (the firewire port is great if you have a iPod) and it's extremely fast.